Other than the essentials like boots/shoes, backpack, tent, etc. What are your top 3 non-essential hiking gear items? The 3 items that improve your hiking experience everytime, but you won’t die if you forgot them.

My top 3 are:

GSI Personal Javapress - Good coffee, no matter where I am.

Sea to Summit Pocket Trowel - Dig a proper whole, even in the most gravelly soil.

Stanley Adventure Pocket Flask 354ml - Being able to have a sip of whiskey, in the middle of nowhere, under a starry sky, is a real treat!

I can totally see you popping a Myprodol at the end of the day with the same satisfaction as a cold drink
I consider headlamps essential and blister plaster are always a part of my first-aid kit (also essential). That being said, I might add my Injinji liner toe socks to the list! Zero blisters wearing those puppies

I rate a headlamp and trowel are absolutely essential. I use my headlamp on many hikes - I finish in the dark fairly often, even when that wasn’t the plan (cough, cough, last Saturday). A trowel is important from the aspect of leaving no trace.

Hmmm - top non-essential items:

Camera

GPS, not always non-essential, but on routes I have done many times before, I often just use it for statistical purposes

An air mattress for sleeping, I guess out of winter this is non-essential, but a good night sleep helps a lot.

Context: I leave my gloves at home outside of winter to make sure my pack is nice and light.